The French Community of Belgium will gradually increase its funding for the francophone channel TV5 Monde to €7.75 million in 2012, against €4.79 million this year, the regional government said in a statement.
The amount will increase in a series of steps, to €5.8 million in 2009, €6.35 million in 2010 and €7.04 million in 2011. The regional government also contributes €750,000 to RTBF to cover the costs of participating in TV5 Monde.
France currently contributes up to 80% of the total budget of TV5 Monde, the remaining 20% being funded by Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and the Province of Quebec. Last April an agreement was reached to achieve a “rebalancing of the financial contribution of partner countries”.
TV5 Monde has a potential reach of some 181 million households around the world and its audience reaches about 75 million viewers per week, according on the channel.